Devils Luck
by Shadow-The Black Queen
Summary: Having the world against you gets old sometimes. Have your own self against you gets old even faster. Daddy issues, hundreds of personalities that even she's not sure what she can do. Sometimes...you just need devil's luck.
1. Prologue

The card was cool in my hands, comforting as it slipped between my fingers in a familiar rhythm, in out in out. Absentmindedly I flipped the card over, the brail signaling that the joker was grinning up at me from the card face, I smiled back down. My mind was hundreds of miles to the north, to where my brother was. I sat on my bed, though it felt cold without him in the bed across from me, our room was divided down the middle; not by any definitive line, but by the mental line that had once existed. I wanted to scream, without my brother I was alone in this godforsaken place; if you asked anyone down here they would tell you there are three things to worry about; the ripppers, the thieves and the Diablos'.

Pa was screaming up the hall, he had another job for me, I smiled and put my cards away being careful to put two specific cards at the top should I need help, the joker and the King of Hearts.


	2. Not going down

My heart beat, a caged bird attempting to escape my ribcage; I smiled. This was my favorite part, the aftermath, the adrenaline running through my veins, making me forget everything. I could feel the sun on my skin, and the echo told me where I was going; I could find my way no problem, shadows danced across my eyes, the light stung. Why did Jean send me out during the day? It was totally wrong, I'm a thieve, we don't work in the day, much less my kind of thief.

"Well lookie what we got here. Isn't it a little dangerous for a girl to be walking down these streets, alone?" The voice was familiar to me, I turned with a sneer on my face.

"Damn rippers, ain't got nothing better to than ta' pick on a girl? Din' your mere ever tell ya' its not nice ta' pick on girls?" I asked recognizing the classic signs of ripper boys the scent of rusted metal, and the rotten scent of the sewers, I was seriously uncomfortable. It was the middle of the day, I was out in the open, and backed into a corner. Shit.

My sixth sense shot off a warning even before I heard the draw of a blade. I felt the King of Hearts drift out of my full deck's pouch as the knife cut through the leather like butter.

"C'mon the Guild leader wants a word with you." One of the boys hissed.

"Wanna bet on it?" It may have been the middle of the day, but it was still a back alley at the edge of town I could fight like hell and I would, ain't no way this little devil's goin down without a fight.

I heard the air part, footsteps coming on both sides of me, I could feel them getting closer. I slammed my knee into one boys stomach, grabbed his neck and twisted my body around his so he went flying. The second boy had pulled what I'm assuming was a knife on me, I jumped gripping the wall behind me, nails digging in like claws. A rush of air flew past me, the sound of metal digging into the stone next to me with a crack I ripped a brick from the wall and threw it, aiming best I could based on the trajectory of the knife.

They could try but Regan Lilith LeBeau was not going down easy, oh no I was not.


	3. A dicey time

The blade had nicked me, but they were definitely the worse for the fight. I grimaced, this was not going to go over well with Jean-Luc; wait a minute. Why the hell did Jean send me out at this time of day anyway? Was this whole thing a trap?

I swayed, normally I wouldn't be tiered for hours and hours on end, but this wasn't normally; normally I was in and out in a flash, before anyone even knew I was there. Something was wrong though nothing was making sense, my head was a jumbled mess, and my vision was a little fuzzy.

With a whispered prayer to whoever was listening and simply felt myself fall away. I arrived on what sounded like a shipping dock or some kind of warehouse, I felt my brother not far away.

I screamed. I felt something almost hit me, the air heating exponentially. I felt the eyes I kept hidden whirr to life, everything shifting from black to the clear vision of a snipers scope. I saw, for the first time in months, usually I don't turn them on, takes way too much energy for something that I could do without my eyes since I was born. I flipped backwards onto a barrel to avoid a fire ball, and jumped to the roof of one of the storage units to avoid some red blast. "Remy! Tell the damn goons to shut up! " I took my mind off of the battle for a second, that was a bad idea. Something hit me, my eyes gave out returning me to darkness once again.

"Regan?" I heard my brothers voice, I reached towards him, even though my mind was slipping away.

"Damnit, who's with you Remy?" I asked before I blacked out.

I woke up in a room that wasn't my own, and I panicked. A scream tore out of my throat, where was I? I couldn't sense anyone around me, and that was what was scaring me the most. Who were they that they weren't afraid of me? Or that they didn't need me to be guarded?

"Calm down child. You are not in danger here." a calm voice told me.

"Yeah right, everyone wants something, so it depends on your definition of safe." I responded, my sophisticated sixth sense scanning for any and all ill intents. "where's my brother?"

"Brother dear? What brother we found you in the middle of one of our battle zones." I was cursing in my head, there was no way this could be good.

"Who are you?" I asked quietly, my power making my fingers tingle as I readied my defenses.

"We are the X-men, and we were wondering how you got to that shipping dock." A collected male voice asked me, immediately I ran through all the big people in the world and connected the voice to Professor Charles Xavier head of the Xavier institute for Exceptional students. I ran through everything I knew about him, which wasn't much that was even known about him, he was a private person. I couldn't even read his voice to see what answer he wanted.

"I want Remy." I whispered, my minds organizational works closing me off; I was vulnerable.

"Who is Remy dear, if he's in the city we will find him." the professor said comfortingly.

"Remy LeBeau. I wan' Remy." I whimpered.

Footsteps raced out of the room, I was too far into my own mind to care. The puzzle that I spent countless hours tending to had come undone again; painstakingly I sorted through, dice rattled in my hand, I hadn't noticed how I took it out. I smiled as I rolled snake eyes time after time, my fingers scanning the dice to double check common knowledge. A footstep came from where I assume the door was, they didn't identify themselves, their footsteps were too quiet; without even thinking the dice had flown from my hands, I assume the person dodged my weapons because there was no wet thunk of weapon sinking into flesh.

"Like, whoa. I just came to see how you were doing." I ran the voice through my newly reconstructed data banks, Katherine Pryde or Shadowcat.

"Ah that's how you dodged," I smirked, I pulled a second set of dice from my pack and began rolling once again.

"What are you like doing?" She asked sitting in the chair beside my hospital bed.

"When the Devil rolls, no matter where the dice land the Devil will win." I whispered watching as the three dice pattered down, 6-6-6. Katherine shifted away from me slightly. "Hey Kitty, want to test your luck?" I asked, feeling slightly more like myself again.

"Dear, we found him. He said he'd be here as soon as he could." The warm voice from earlier said, I couldn't identify it.

"Would you mind telling me what your name is?" I asked politely, adding another name to my lists another set of information to my data banks, after all knowledge is power, and in my world you take power from wherever you can find it.

"I'm sorry, my name is Ororo. And yours dear?"

"Regan, petite? Are you alright?" Remy was here. He ran his fingers through my hair, I felt him run his fingers through my hair before I threw myself at him and wrapped my arms tightly around his neck.

"Shh, shh, its ok, its ok. I'm right here." He kissed my cheek, I felt myself calm down instantly.

"I'm not okay anymore. I'm not. Nothing is ok anymore, nothing. I can't take it, I can't, I can't, I can't. Those damn rippers and Jean-luc ain't any better. Henri and Merci ain't living at the stronghold no more so I ain't got nothing. Don't leave me again. Please, don't make me go back." I knew I sounded pathetic, but I couldn't help it my mind was still falling to pieces I was having problems even trying to put it back together. I felt my hair flashing through colors and styles so fast it probably looked like a blur of opal, the voices began whispering again. I screamed, accusing, angry, sad, begging, pleading, I couldn't take it.

"Just Leave me alone!" I screamed, clapping my hands over my ears, the voices began to recede, becoming nothing more than a soft humm.

"Cherie, here." Remy handed my deck, as I turned over each card I put the memories that filled my head into their own card. I was shaking the voices hated me. It was a mutual feeling. I found myself turning the empty joker over and over in my fingers, grimacing as I felt yet another energy enter.

"What the hell is with people entering unannounced?" I asked just loud enough for them to be able to hear.

"Both of you are unknowns here, I need to make sure you don't try to do anything that would cause harm to our students, and I needed to make sure that she is alright." a man said, I analyzed his voice, Mr. McCoy, a teacher before now known as Beast.

"My name is Regan, you don't need to call me a she." I said attempting to calm myself down there were too many signatures still lingering in the air, scents also clogged the air bleach, blood, adrenalin, and something halfway between anticipation and fear. It kept putting me on edge it smelled so much like my room, the room I cleaned so meticulously I made hospitals look filthy. I couldn't stand the smell of blood, I couldn't stand myself, the scent clung to my skin, the scent of death. "So can I leave?" I asked the skin on my arms was beginning to crawl.

"No I'm afraid we're going to need to keep you for overnight observation." Mr. McCoy told me, I flinched the though of spending a night in this room made me feel sick.

"Can I at least stay in a different room?" I pleaded, I wanted to pretend to be strong, but the scent was getting to me. "I can't stand the smell of blood." I whispered. He looked at me strangely,

"It doesn't smell like blood in here it smells like chlorine and bleach, cleaning chemicals." I glared at him, my brother backing up slightly as my hair charged with electricity.

"Well I smell blood. And it's starting to bother me." I hissed.


	4. Monster

My shoulder twinged, on pure reflexes I twisted my body letting the dice fly from my hand once again. Clank. Damn blocked.

"Hey! Wha'd I do?" A very confused voice asked me. "who are you anyway?"

"Sorry, instinct." I muttered, "Rem ya better run, Jean'll find us if we're too close for too long."

"Je t'aime." He muttered quickly and pecked my cheek before leaving, knowing him he'll just disappear; he always does.

"Hey, doc. Can ya hurry up and help me out here?" My sightless eyes searched the room as if they could still see; trying to pinpoint who was speaking.

"Yes, forgive me Evan, I was trying to get our guest here to settle down."

"Oh, who are you anyway?" The boy, Evan, asked.

"Je m'appelle Regan." I introduced myself, standing before Mr. McCoy could object. With a flick of my wrist I dropped my silver colored yoyo, listening to the echo as it tapped softly against the floor. Moving with slight hesitation I navigated around the hospital beds so I could offer my hand to the stranger. "Enchante."

"Hey, I'm Evan." I felt him place his hand in mine and shake.

"You have a good handshake." I murmured, I felt calluses scraping across my palm. "Do you play basketball or something?" I asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" he asked, he had a New York accent, he must have been a 'born and raised' kinda guy.

"Just a feeling." I answered, smiling.

"Reagan, you shouldn't be standing yet, I'm still not sure what made you faint." I waved the concerned words like a fly.

"I used too much energy, no big. It happens all the time." I said, "so Evan, think you can show me around? Or at least spring me from this place? I hate hospitals."

"Yeah, sure. Just give me a second to talk to the doc ok?"

"Yeah sure." I kept the yoyo bouncing, carefully mapping the room in my head, five beds, a row of windows, blank spots where I'm assuming curtains hang blocking my view, one wall must be metal it has a higher reverb rate. The world seemed to vibrate around me, wow high-tech. I felt a hand on my shoulder, my body tensed slightly but the grip and calluses were right. "Hey Evan."

"We can head out now, if its alright with the Doc that is." Evan said turning his body.

"yes, yes. Just keep her in your sights Evan, I don't want her passing out again."

"Thanks Teach!" Mr. McCoy must have been laughing as I followed the nearly running Evan out of the room. He led me for a while, from the sound of the echoes this place was huge. I must have spaced off, Evan had reached for my hand; damn. I threw my protections around my mind, making sure nothing could slip in. "Are you ok? You almost ran into a wall."

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry I must have spaced out, I must still be tired thanks for catching me."

"No problem, c'mon Prof's looking for me it'll be quicker if you just hold my hand." I nodded, too confused to think straight. My feet moved in time with his, my mind constantly memorizing the number of steps I took and the state of the echoes. Three flights of stairs, 50 steps down a carpeted hall and into an assumed study. The walls were wooden from what I could tell, good quality stuff nice sound, and floor was thickly carpeted a slight hindrance to my method of 'seeing' but nothing unusual, there was tech around the room but nothing too major, and a desk settled in the center of the room two chairs stood waiting.

"Hello Evan, I see you've brought our guest. Would you introduce me?"

"Sure thing, Prof. Regan, Professor Charles Xavier." The air moved, I assumed his hand was out to greet me, I extended mine in return, my hand found his and shook once.

"Good to see you again Professor."

"So Professor, what did you want to see me about?" Evan asked, I heard his footing shift, he must be nervous. I must've put my yoyo away when we started running, though I couldn't remember it now, because my hand was still in Evan's without my thinking about it I gave a gentle squeeze; living with my brother you learn to read the subtle signs when someone needs comfort.

"It's nothing to worry about, just a basketball game your coach told me it was being postponed until further notice." Evan gave a snort.

"Alright, thanks for the warning Professor."

"On another note, would you show Miss Regan to one of our guest rooms? I'm sure Hank would prefer her lying down."

"Sure Professor." Evan began leading me out the door.

"And Evan I would appreciate it if you collected her before dinner as well, it wouldn't do us any good to have our guest get lost." Evan must have nodded because he continued on, I continued to create a mental map of the building, or complex it was so big.

Evan POV

Regan's hair kinda looked like Auntie O's, that was the first thing I noticed about her and it still drew my attention, it was like someone had kept her in a cellar her whole life and it had sucked the color right out of her. She had a good smile, sincere, and she had one heck of an arm. If I hadn't blocked her dice earlier with my plates, no question about it she would have fractured a bone.

I led her down the familiar halls of the Institute, still thinking about this visitor. She had good instincts, the kind you developed in high risk cases, she had a gentle touch. I could still tell that, her hand was still in mine. I don't know why I grabbed her hand down near med-lab, but something told me that leading her like this would be easier. Too soon I saw the door to the guest room.

"Reagan, we're here." I opened the door, letting go of her hand I went and closed the hanging drapes, cutting off the rooms source of light. "I'll be back to grab you for dinner, if you need anything holler and someone will find me."

"Hey Evan? Thanks." I smiled at her, she also had a pretty voice. "Devil's luck spare you." I almost didn't hear her, I guess that was her way of saying be safe, weird.

Narrator POV

"Dang, that girl must be psychic, Logan thrashed us during that DR session, he really went all out." Evan muttered to himself as he walked up the steps to the guest room.

'how should I feel, creatures lie here looking through the window…' Weird, there wasn't a radio in the room. Must be her cell phone. Evan cracked open the door, broken shafts of sunlight spilled into the room, and disappeared almost as quickly. He tried to flip the lights on, they gave a defeated sigh then popped, glass raining down.

"The monster is gone. No more monster, no more monster." Evan glanced around the room, Regan was sitting her knees curled to her chest in the corner of the room, eyes obviously trained on the still ringing phone.

'turn the sheets down, murder ears with pillow lace.'

"there's bathtubs full of glow flies, bathe in kerosene their words tattooed in his veins." her voice was wrong, it was high and childlike.

"Pick up the damn phone Joker." Regan stayed silent watching the light behind the screen die, and the ring start again.

"Shut up." she whispered it so quietly Evan wasn't sure he had heard it.

"Regan?" He started walking towards her, the phone kept ringing.

"I said. Shut up! You won't break me!" Evan was frozen in place, the hair on the back of his neck stood on its ends, he ducked. The phone he had been standing beside exploded. Running feet pounded up the stairs, orders and shouts.

"Evan are you alright?" Scott asked as he barged into the room

"Yeah, I'm all good. Regan, you alright?"

"Monsters gone, monsters gone no more scary monster. Monster afraid of dark now!" a laugh bubbled out of her chest, high and insane. "No more monster! No more monster!" She had sat up straight, her legs crossed underneath her, her long bangs covered her eyes still, but revealed her predatory grin the grin that slid from ear to ear.

"Who's she, and what happened to her?" Scott asked, watching warily from behind his visor.

"oh look! Cyclops came out to play today! Is the princess free yet? What of the demon and the ghost? Are they going to play too?"

"Let me handle this one Scott." Jean said placing a hand on his shoulder. "Regan? Hello, my name is"

"Jean Grey, no alias; daughter of professor and Mrs. Grey. Moved to the Institute when you were ten, lived here ever since along side Scott Summers A.K.A Cyclops; Katherine Pryde, aka Kitty aka Shadowcat; Evan aka spyke; and Kurt Vaugner aka Nightcrawler. Under the care and tutelage of Professor Charles Xavier aka Professor; Logan aka Wolverine aka Project X; Ororo Munroe aka Storm, seen by her tribe as a goddess; and more recently Hank McCoy aka Beast." The girls voice had changed, it was cold, emotionless, robotic.

"Yes. Can you tell me what's wrong?" Jean coaxed softly, hoping to understand this girl.

"I hate when he calls me, he always wants something. Guess that's why he's that's why he's the head of the guild, he likes things too much."

"Jean, you called?"

"Yes professor, we heard an explosion and ran up to see what happened." Jean answered mentally so as not to spook the girl in front of her.

"You shouldn't keep secrets, secrets aren't nice." Regan's voice was dead and emotionless, as if those words were commonplace for her to say.

"You're right of course, Regan. Can you tell me what happened?" The Professor asked kindly, like Jean attempting to coax as much information out of the semi-lucid girl before him.

"The Monster called."

"Can you tell me who the monster is."

"The monster, he's the monster."

"Regan, that doesn't help us, we don't know who he is."

"He's nobody, and everybody; nowhere and everywhere, he's got eyes and ears all over the city, thieves to do his bidding."

"What is your definition of a monster?" Scott asked, wondering if that would help at all.

"A monster is someone who murders others profit; a monster is someone too cowardly to do the deed himself." dead silence fell over the room, the professor was the first to speak.

"Regan I would like to issue you an invitation to join the Xavier's Institute for Gifted Students, would you accept?" Regan cocked her head slightly to the side and tipped her head so she appeared to be looking at him.

"If I say no will you send me back?"

A.N. I'm sorry if the chapter skipped around a little, please please please let me know what you think J Until next time _ The Black Queen


	5. A New Game

"Harder." The voice rang in her head. "Faster." She pushed herself faster, working harder, her muscles screamed in protest, her mind filtered out the pain. "You must be perfect." The voice always managed to sound exactly like her dad; her hooked nails clung to the ceiling easily as she dragged her body up again and again. Her oversized trench coat lay almost forgotten on the bed, without it the numerous scars that littered her body were visible to the world. With indifference she unhooked her fingers allowing herself to freefall a few feet before she simply turned and landed with the grace of a cat. Carefully she ran a single finger over her arm, feeling the multitudes of hair fine lines that crisscrossed her ghost pale skin.

"I learn fast don't I dad?" She laughed darkly under her breath, as her finger found the joker on the inside of her wrist. "You just taught me too well, didn't you daddy? Taught your little joker too well." In an instant a glittering knife was in her fingers, held above the jokers mouth set to slit his smile. "I just love games don't you?" She questioned the harlequin on her other wrist.

A knock on the door interrupted her. "Ze Profezzor wanted me to show you to ze kitchen."

"Give me a second." Regan twisted the knife in her palm and slid it back into its wrist holster with practiced ease, and slid her trench coat on covering the scars and the knives. "Bonjour! So you're my escort this morning?"

"Ja." The boy greeted, tucking a strand of his shaggy blue hair behind his ear.

"Ah German? Then Danke." He cocked his head to the side slightly.

"sprechen sie deutsch?"

"Non." Regan smiled at the dumbstruck boy. "Je parle Francais. Now are we going to break fast or what?" something about this boy made her comfortable, he was easy to talk to, in her world, dangerous. "I never got your name."

"oh ja, sorry. My name is Kurt Vagner." The rubbed the back of his head nervously smiling in embarrassment. "Ze kitchen iz zis vay, if you vill follow me." He walked off in the opposite direction she had come last night. Three flights of stairs and Regan was starting to seriously consider this a compound rather than a house, even a mansion, it could hold everyone in her family and still have room left for family friends! "Ze kitchen iz right here, I think ze professor iz going to introduce you." Kurt smiled warmly at her.

"Thanks for your help this morning Kurt, I don't think I could have found my way down here otherwise." Regan said with a slight laugh, shaking her head so that her opal hair caught and reflected the morning light.

"Ah Kurt, thank you for fetching Miss Regan, if you would be so kind, I would like to speak with her alone for just a moment."

"Ja, it vas nice meeting you Regan." Regan turned to face the professor.

"Good morning Regan, I trust you slept well?" Regan nodded absentmindedly. "That's good, now, I was wondering if I could have your decision on living at the school; I know it's sudden but I think the more time the older students have to get used to the idea of someone else their age living here the better. Only two of them have been here for more than a year, but they are very close." The professor watched as Regan's eyes went strangely blank.

Regan was arguing with herself, if she were here she could be closer to her brother and farther from her father. But could she leave everything she had ever known? Was freedom worth that price? Was a new game worth the risk it involved? She answered that the same way she answered all of those questions. "Yes, I'll stay here."

"Excellent, then let's meet your new family shall we?" Regan nodded once again, keeping rigid control over herself so as not to twitch at the word 'family', family implied emotional ties, love, and she could not afford that; that was a lesson that had been drilled in thoroughly by her father. "Regan, I would like you to meet Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Rouge, Katherine Pryde, and I believe you already know Evan and Kurt. Everyone this is Regan, you're new classmate." Regan smiled shyly tilting her head so her bangs weren't in her eyes. The intensity in her nearly clear blue eyes startled the surrounding people.

"Hey." She said, her body automatically shifting so she was balanced, her fingers toying with the hilts of her knives.

"Good, you found your way, without running into a wall." Regan giggled a noise that startled everyone.

"That would be thanks to Kurt, now move your spiky butt over so I can eat." Everyone tensed at the reference, watching Regan, who was seemingly oblivious, to see if she knew what she just said. Regan sat with a smile, her bangs hiding her eyes; she was no fool, she saw the way their bodies tensed when she called Evan 'Spiky', that was the reason she smiled. A new game to play.


	6. Alice

"Regan, I understand if you don't want to go directly into school. If it makes you uncomfortable, you can wait until you're settled." The Professor said kindly. Regan twisted uncomfortably, she had never been to school before, her father had always kept her close.

"I would feel more comfortable if I could settle in for a few days before I started school, thank you professor." She smiled softly, "I would also greatly appreciate if I could decorate my room?" Regan asked.

"Of course, Ororo, Logan, Hank, and I will all be here if you need any help." He said smiling at her apparent shyness.

"I'll be ok, thanks so much Professor Xavier!" Regan bounced out of her seat, "I'll see y'all later!" She felt their eyes leave her, her smile dropped, indifference dropping into place. Her eyes were glazed, a cell phone that seemed to be made out of mirrors in her hand. "Brother, do you have my things?"

"Mais oui. I will send it over for you." With a slight sigh, she hung up and wearily climbed the stairs, a mirror tapping gently as her door closed behind her.

"See the misfit in the mirror." She whispered running her finger along the ragged edge, waiting for her packages. With a ripple like motion, the mirror began to expel carefully wrapped packages and bags that dropped with a silent thump. "Thanks Rems." She said giving him a smile through the still mirror; it glittered like a broken shard of glass.

"Anything for you, petite." The smile was pained as he left the mirror, she didn't even notice as her finger slipped against the jagged edge, drawing a line of warm blood to run across her cold skin. Regan simply looked in the mirror, watching in fascination and horror, though she had gotten used to it by now, as her skin seemed to melt away, until she couldn't see her face anymore, the child who had become her was too small. Carefully, Regan stepped away from the door, her tiny ballet flatted feet quiet against the floor. Staring at one bag intently, she willed it to lift up, watching in silence as its contents spilled from the floating bag, dancing to some unknown rhythm; the pieces falling into their pattern upon the floor.

_It's been a very long time, Regan._ A small voice echoed in her head, _I thought you had forgotten me. _The girl, for the voice was distinctly feminine however young, said sounding angry.

"Never. I could never forget you, Alice." Regan replied, continuing to lay the pieces.

_But you left me here!_ Alice demanded.

"You remain non?" There was silence, flashes of a tiny blond haired child flashing in the pieces large enough. Both minds were focusing upon their task, Alice's upon the much larger packages that now joined the glittering pieces in the air.

_Ohhhh the room's pretty! _Alice chimed, her voice soaring happily. Regan felt the amusement as the tiny blond spun, her hair flying and eyes closed, her arms outstretched to catch the sun.

"Is it?" Regan questioned, as she lay on her bed, eyes closed against the suns prying fingers. "I wouldn't know it, would I?" Alice looked over at her companion, her smile fading, her hand reaching out to Regan, only to be stopped by a pane of glass. Her sweet brown eyes lost their happiness, rage filling their depths. Her mouth opened in a scream, though no sound escaped her lips. Her fingers curled as she clawed at that pane of glass.

"Stop it, Alice. You knew this was the price you paid." The tiny girl stopped her tantrum, choosing instead to glare at the older girl, her teeth bared in a growl. "You can't exist without me, you're just a Reflection." Regan said standing before the glaring girl. Slowly Regan reached out a hand towards the mirror, Alice mirroring. Regan watched as Alice's screaming face and contorting body faded, the mirror staring at her, empty. "And I'm just a Mirror."


	7. Birds of a feather

No one bothered Regan her first week at the mansion, and she liked it that way. Sure she would sometimes catch glimpses of people, usually rushing around like chickens with their head's cut off, but she normally attempted to blend in with the shadows, and considering her upbringing succeeded beautifully. Life was going swimmingly in Regan's mind.

"Regan, I know you may not be completely comfortable here yet, but the new semester starts tomorrow. It would be most prudent to start then." _Scrap that_.

"Of course Professor, I will attend tomorrow." Regan answered immediately her mind formulating the best course of action for the coming day. Long, dark hair, dark brown; lighter eyes, but not too bright, green would be the preferable color; pale skin; thin lips; shy, quiet personality, top of the class, nose always in book. Yes that would do perfectly. _But it's not you._ The little voice in her head was back, the one that always managed to sound like she had at four years old. Regan almost brushed the thought aside, but stopped herself for some reason. No, she knew the reason. She was Free. She didn't have to hide anymore. The thought was strange to her, Freedom, the word even tasted strange on her tongue.

Was she really free? She could try couldn't she? A tiny sliver of a smile lit up her room, the proof of emotion reflected back at her as the images in her mirrors smiled as well. For the first time in her living memory, Regan slept deeply, not waking with every sound.

She sat up; she could feel a thousand shards of light hitting her skin. Her mechanical eyes hummed to life as she stood, immediately double checking for intruders. With feline like grace Regan slunk over to the mirror covered dresser and easily picked her cloths for the day, just a little something to show subtle power. A white, ruffled skirt that ended above her knees, a white bodice that laced in the back, and white, velveteen, ankle boots; _all dolled up with nowhere to go, eh?_

Regan twitched, her body immediately turning away from the mirror, her eyes closing, forcing that black presence back. _Shut up. _She almost ran down the stairs, darting out of the door and strait into the car. "Sorry," Regan gasped, slinging her seatbelt on. "I didn't set my alarm last night." None of the people in the car said a word. Even as it slid easily into its parking spot, she was the outsider.

"Do you need any help finding your way around?" Scott asked, his voice betraying his hesitation.

"No, I'll be fine."Regan huffed, Scott rolled his eyes behind his glasses, women, what was with them?

"Looks like the nerds found another of their kind. Wonder if she's related to the Goth freak, now there's a piece of work." Regan was prepared to overlook their comments about her. But not Rogue. Odd as it was she felt, protective. Regan was no idiot, she could spot a mask a mile away, and Rogue, Rogue wore hers like a second skin. No matter her training, there was still underlying instinct, birds of a feather must stick together.

"Hi." Regan sang happily, walking up to the group. Her fingers easily found their way into one pocket after another as she made her way to the center of the group. "Could you point me towards the office?" She felt the air around her part as they pointed her in the right direction. "Thanks." Regan headed towards the front doors tucking the last of their wallets into her bag. Payback's a bitch.


	8. Paper thin reality

"I'm here for my schedule." Regan pepped at the secretary. "It should be under Regan N."

"Oh, of course dear. Here you go." the secretary smiled, flashing too white teeth and tucking her obviously-fake-blond hair behind her ear. Regan continued to smile at the woman, even though fakes like her drove Regan crazy.

"Thanks!"

_You sound like that insufferable bubble of sunshine, Alice_ Regan almost stumbled, closing here eyes quickly.

_I used to be that way, remember? When I was four? I asked daddy why he never hugged me, like other daddies hugged their daughters. Don't you remember, he hit, hard. You must remember? When my smile could light up a room? Before I became as fragile as our mirrors?_ With a forceful shove, Regan returned to the world of the living. "Right, Math." Regan hissed through her teeth. Focusing, attempting to keep her eyes on, even as they drained her energy. She found the classroom with difficulty, shutting off her eyes gratefully as she opened the door. "Ummm, do you have a seat for me?" she asked shifting her balance to appear awkward as she felt the class' eyes boring into her.

"And who are you?" The teachers sharp voice asked.

"Regan. I'm the new student? This is calculus right?"

"Yes, of course. I was expecting…"

"A boy? Call me Lilith if it bothers you so much." She said flipping her hair carelessly over her shoulder. "You're not the first, the first to expect that."Regan said, noting the class's strange looks.

"Take the desk right next to you." The teacher said, obviously frustrated that she had taken up class time. Regan smiled slightly predatorily at the man and took her seat. He began to speak, his monotonous drone dropping her classmates like flies while she worked steadily more difficult problems out of complete boredom. "Something you'd like the share with the class." The teacher, whom Regan decided would remain nameless, snatched her paper from her. She felt the shock rolling off him as he read and reread her equations. "What are these equations for?" The teacher questioned, skeptically.

"The first half of the sheet is for time-travel, but I'm having a difficult time fixing the problem of coming back; so I figured I'd start on the mechanics behind controlling hyper beams." Regan began tapping her pencil impatiently on her desk. "Can I have them back please? I'm almost done."

"This is all theoretical right. How can you finish?"

"I have to balance the negative and positive ions and I have to find a way to direct the blast with enough force so it doesn't backlash and kill who's ever using it. Wouldn't want that now would we? Would we?" Regan asked almost playfully, her last statement ringing in the air.

"I'll put you in for a class transfer." He said, before returning to the lecture. He hadn't returned her equations. With a sigh Regan settled into her chair, focusing her breathing; in, hold, out, hold.

The sharp clap of the school bell signaling the end of class brought Regan back to her senses, almost too abruptly shocking her into almost vaulting over her desk.

_Man, chill out Mimic. Since when are you this jumpy? _The male voice echoed in her ears.

_Since We got here, something is not right with this place. Can't you feel it? _The three voices echoed back at him.

_Sorry about that Hayden._

_No problem, right turn, anyway came to say that some of ours are getting picked up. Would you mind sending another lawyer down our way? The two we have are overwhelmed._

_No problem, you have to authority to do that._ She replied, glancing around to find her dark haired friend.

_We figured you'd need it._ The three voices echoed again

_Do you guys ever go away? _This voice was harsh, unfriendly, and was accompanied by a slight rattling of Regan's mental state.

_No. _Alice giggled

_I'll leave you to it Mimic, open the door. _Hayden said, calling out the last instruction for her to get to her class.

_Show off._ Regan muttered, quickly shutting down her emotions and locking her 'guests' back in their mirrored cells.

"Hello, I'm Regan. Is there a seat for me?"she felt wide eyed stares. "Hi Scott! Can I take the chair next to Scott please?" The teacher seemed slightly overwhelmed with Regan's personality and simply nodded. Flashing the woman a brilliant smile Regan danced over to the empty desk next to Scott Summers aka Cyclops.

"Regan, what are you doing here? This is A.P. physics, you're a freshman aren't you?"

"I don't actually know, The Professor had me take a test a week ago for class placement. Maybe I scored well…" Regan said trailing off as the teachers voice cut through her thoughts.

"As you all have guessed, we have a new student today, would you please introduce yourself?" Ms. Stone asked, apparently thinking she would do the girl a service.

"Hi! We're Regan Lilith, I am 15, and I just moved into town." She smiled happily, her white teeth flashing dangerously, desperately covering her slipup.

Scott raised his eyebrow, but said nothing, cataloging her use of 'we' to tell the Professor. Ms. Stone's voice was chipper and happy, as she encouraged one of the pretty, popular girls to tell the class about 'The Great Gatsby'. Scott watched as Regan's face quickly went from irritated to annoyed, and finally settled on amused as Kelly continued her speech. He rationalized his behavior, she was an unknown a possible danger to the people closest to him; but she was a puzzle, she had avoided all human contact for the past two weeks and now was smiling like it was nothing. He watched as her smile slowly went slack and her tense body relaxed, it didn't seem natural.

"Hey, Regan are you okay?" he reached out to shake her. A hand snaked out to snatch his wrist, her grip was strong enough to bruise bone.

"They are coming, can you feel it? They are coming and it will be for us. It will be a massacre, there will be blood. So much blood, are they bleeding us dry? Power is consuming, all consuming, soon they won't feel anything anymore. They…" With a slightly chocked gasp, Regan released his arm her hand moving to cover her eyes. A quick string of words he couldn't quite catch blurred her lips; her eyes stared apparently unseeing ahead of her. "I know you're listening." It was spoken in a hiss.

"I was just…"

"Not. You." Her voice was still a hiss, clipped and controlled, its pitch altering and shaking, as if between two people. "Her." A double timbre, "Oh, she's gone."

"Regan, are you alright?" Scott's voice was genuinely worried.

"I'm fine." A false smile, thin as glass, graced her delicate features. "You shouldn't worry so much, or your hair will go as white as mine." She fingered her white locks.

"So that's natural?" Scott asked, he had only seen flashes of her around the mansion, and it was always her tell-tale hair.

"Natural as anything gets anymore." Only a half smile this time, "Did you know? Before I mean? Or was it only after? I always knew, special is as special does I guess." Her voice sounded slightly off. "Scott? Do you think it is naïve to trust?" with that she stood and turned slightly towards him, she opened her mouth as if to speak, but no words came out. Quickly she turned her hair flaring around her, and then she was gone. Like an illusion, like she had never existed.

Regan sat alone at lunch, well alone to outsiders, her _alters _were always with her.

_Was it absolutely necessary to throw that show? _The raspy voice demanded.

_I can't help it! You KNOW I can't! It's not my fault! _A soft slightly hoarse voice screamed.

_No one said it was. _Alice piped, _You should be nicer. _She reprimanded the raspy voice.

_Will y'all just SHUT UP!_ This voice was louder, more real than the others. _Rearea, won't you make them be quiet? I'll be your best friend._ The voice shoved the others back; Regan felt the voice's dark emotions swamping her mind.

_Go away._ Her voice was soft, far too weak for her liking, old memories were forcing themselves back into her mind, no doubt helped by her 'guest'. _I'm tired. _She felt warmth wrap around her, though it was only in her mind, it felt so real, she felt safe. She was pulled into someone's lap, their mental presence dwarfing hers.

_Shhh, it's ok. It's ok. Just sleep, sleep._ The voice was humming, rocking Regan's mental form back and forth. Regan felt her eyes closing, with a great shove she returned to 'reality' and uncurled her body from its unintended fetal position; she reached out so she could see her hands, she felt the urge to wipe away the makeup covering her wrists, if only to see if it was really her or if she was still lost in _her _reality. She didn't risk smearing the makeup instead she lifted her head to look at the sky, clear blue, not indigo and silver. Her eyes refocused on the school, she felt the mixture of hunger and thirst gnaw at her veins, she complied, drawing a single card from her deck, letting its energy flow through her body. She sighed, her hunger satiated, and flinched as the new persona hit her mind, his voice screaming, making her head pound.

"Shut up."


	9. Black and White

Regan felt, the best word was, fuzzy. The people around her moved either too quickly or too slow, words buzzed against her ears, none made an impression. When was the last time she had slept? A week? A month? No, when did she come here? Just after leaves had begun to fall, and now the snow was melting. Five months then. A long time, even for her; but she was afraid to sleep, SHE was still strong, too strong, she would swallow Regan. Not to mention the nightmares, Regan wasn't strong enough to fight the nightmares, she never had been. That was HER job.

"Shamira, I have to sleep. Will you keep me safe?" Regan whimpered, clutching her swimming head. Regan knew she would have to sleep, she was so tired. No! she only had to stay awake until Shamira answered.

"Of course, sleep little one." The woman replied her voice slipping through the air as she became a sentinel angel, her dark hair and skin standing in sharp contrast of the stark whiteness of the room. Moonlight poured through the single window, the glowed room brilliantly in the lights clear purity. Easily Regan slipped into the stream that was unconsciousness.

_Dark figures circled her, whispering to her. "No." Regan hissed, clutching her opalescent locks with shaking hands. "Shamira!" her voice was cut off, black water swamped her lungs; only it wasn't water, it was thick and syrupy, heavy in her lungs. It dragged her mind down, made her sleepy and confused, she was hurting. Pain like needles pierced her to her core, her body fought, until the burning was focused in her hands; the pain changed it was ice and fire and knives and needles and biting wind and glowing embers, it was everything and nothing. She tried to scream, only to find the sickly green substance swamping her lungs again. _

_ She woke coughing, her body shivering. _"Shamira!"Shamira couldn't help her here; she knew that as well as she knew these living dreams in which she walked. _Waves lapped at her feet, dark figures loomed above her, some laughing some jeering and others watching silently. She begged and pleaded, she talked and talked, trying to get her strength back, she had used so much energy. The world went black; she couldn't fight back a scream._

_ The world broke and shattered and…_

_"I won't leave! You can't break me!" It was her voice, not Brook's that broke the silence of the white room; she looked at her pale hand her skin looked like it was cracking, they couldn't break her, she was already broken._

_Her arm was locked in place, trapped between the steel cuffs meant to immobilize her. They forced her arm out; she felt her skin touch another's. Fire raced down her arm, through her veins; this was a mutant they forced on her, mutants always had more LIFE. Memories fractured her mind, pain that wasn't hers flashed through her body, forcing a scream from her body._

Kitty was giggling as she ran, phasing through rooms as she did, after all she WAS being chased by most of the, as she liked to call the younger kids, mini mutants. Phasing into one last room, she figured she'd lost them. And screamed.

_Soft hands stroked the girl's hair gently, hundreds of hands reached out to pet and grab and twitch. What seemed like a thousand different voices muttered, murmured, whispered, screamed, babbled; it was impossible to distinguish one voice from another. _

Kitty managed half of a second scream before a dark skinned hand placed itself gently over her mouth severing the cries. "Hush child." A voice as soft as the hand soothed. "The illusions cannot hurt you. They are mere illusions." Kitty whimpered, curling closer to the woman behind her.

_Many faces looked at her, prodded, poked, dissected. But of course she would live, as long as they continued to force 'feed' her. Regan felt nothing, reality was a wash, she was inside her own mind, a world of mirrors created to protect her. Brook saw. Brook heard. Brook felt. Brook screamed. Regan dreamed. Reagan listened. Regan played. Regan giggled. The break was evident._

" Black and White now exist. Black always attempting to swallow White. Black isbroken, twisted and warped beyond repair. And White was no better; a never quiet mind, forever thinking with a hundred people's thoughts. She is sweet and soft and caring and giving. But she is damaged." The woman seemed to narrate a story as she spoke, watching the illusions play. "But you should be careful child, both are fractured. Now run along little ghost-child." The woman smiled softly at Kitty and kissed the top of her head. With a feeling of falling into cool water, Kitty knew no more.


End file.
